Downtown Schenectady facade to be replaced

The fake stucco facade may have been viewed as an improvement when the rest of Schenectady’s downtown was rundown not too many years ago. But with new buildings, restored facades and a renewed vibrancy elsewhere along State Street, the stucco just had to go.

And go it will, when later this month work begins on a new brick facade for the former Woolworth’s building at 401 State St., now the headquarters of the state Commission on Quality Care. (Current facade pictured here.)

Owner Galesi Group has hired BBL Construction for the more than $200,000 project, according to an announcement today from the Schenectady Metroplex Development Authority. Metroplex will provide a $60,000 matching grant from its facade-improvement program, administered by the Downtown Schenectady Improvement Corp.

“Fixing the facade at 401 State St. is the top priority for our facade program, and we are very pleased that this key building downtown will receive a new look,” said Metroplex Chairman Ray Gillen.

David Buicko, chief operating officer at Galesi, said the company is “pleased to partner with Metroplex and the Downtown Schenectady Improvement Corp. to create a new facade … that reflects the great history of Schenectady while adding to the city’s bright new future.” (New facade pictured here.)

Galesi also owns theBow-Tie Cinema Complex, MVP headquarters and several other city buildings, as well as three industrial parks in the Capital Region.

The new facade was designed by Schenectady-based Stracher Roth Gilmore Architects.